ALEXANDER THE GREAT
His origin and birth.
Alexander considered himself the son of the Egyptian god Ammon Zeus and a descendant of Achilles and Hercules, which his contemporaries also believed, because they could not explain his wonderful personality otherwise. But his natural parents were Philip II of Macedonia and Olympias, daughter of the King of Epirus Neoptolemus. So his origin was Doric, because both the Macedonians and Epirotes were Dorians.
The campaign in Asia.
In the spring of 334 BC he is all set for the Asia campaign. His expeditionary force consists of 32,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Its most elite divisions are the cavalry 'partners', the 'infantrymen' and the 'partners' retainers'. The main weapon is the ~10814 sarissa, the smallest of which is no less than 5.50 m and each offensive unit is called a "phalanx". This army consists not only of Macedonians, but also of Balkan races (Paeons, Thracians, Agrians, Triballos and Illyrians), Thessalian horsemen, Acarnanians, Aetolians, Cretans and Asia Minor Greeks.
Besides cavalry and infantry there are other divisions.
They are the siege engines, the engineer, the logistics of food, the ships, the sanitary, the transmissions, etc. And over all this huge and multi-talented mechanism reigns Alexander, who as supreme leader directs the military operations. In his work he is assisted by worthy generals, such as Parmenion and his sons Philotas and Nicanoras, Crateros, Coinos, Meleager, Cleitos, Casas, Antigonus, etc. He is also surrounded by dedicated bodyguards and loyal advisors. Still the "other partners", among whom Arpalos, Seleucus, Nearchus, Eumenes, Dimaratos, Stesanoras, Ptolemaios, Hephaistionas, Perdiccas, Leonatos etc. are particularly distinguished. With all these, as well as with his strong and wise tactics, Alexander achieves the greatest military result of ancient times.
The first victories.
Alexander, after leaving Antipater as his commissioner in Macedonia, crossed Thrace and reached the Hellespont. There he met his fleet, which consisted of 160 warships and many transport ships. With these he crossed over to Troy, where he visited the tomb of Achilles and sacrificed upon it.
He encountered the first resistance of the Persians on the banks of the Granikos river. In the battle, which he personally led, he risked being killed. The Persians were ultimately unable to stop the Macedonian rush and retreated disorderly, giving Alexander his first victory. From the booty left on the battlefield by the barbarians, he sent 300 suits of armor to Athens, to adorn the Parthenon with them. In the dedicatory inscription he ordered the following to be written: "Alexander Philip and the Greeks except the Lacedaemonians from the barbarians of Asia." He excluded the Lacedaemonians and stigmatized them in this way, because they were the only Greeks who did not take part in the campaign.
Now the way was open for Asia Minor, which was soon to be freed from the Macedonian phalanxes. In the spring of 333 BC arrived at the city of Gordio. There was a car with a complex knot, known as the Gordian knot. According to tradition, whoever freed him would become master of all Asia. Without hesitation, Alexander cut this unsolved knot with his sword, wanting to show that he would conquer Asia with his sword. Then he crossed the towering mountains of Taurus and arriving sweaty at the Kydnos river he fell into its waters to cool off. He fell seriously ill, but his personal physician Philip saved him.
His second encounter with the Persian army was near the city of Isso in Cilicia (331 BC). The 500,000 Persians were again dispersed and Darius escaped by flight. But he left his mother, his wife and his children in the hands of Alexander. But he behaved with magnanimity and chivalry towards his noble captives.
He then proceeded south and reached Phoenicia, which he overran and captured its fleet. He also occupied Palestine and Egypt. There he left his army and with a few chosen men proceeded to the desert, to visit the oracle of Ammon Zeus. After an adventurous journey he arrived at the famous sanctuary, where the priests welcomed him with great honors and the high priest addressed him as "child of Zeus". From there equipped with oracles that said he would dominate Asia, he returned to Egypt and began to prepare his army for new battles. Then, after carving the shores of Egypt and near the mouth of the Nile the walls and streets of a new city, Alexandria, he returned to Asia.
The end of the Persian state and Darius.
With 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry he crossed the Tigris River and moved towards Gaugamela, where he had information that Darius was waiting for him with a million men and many scythe chariots. Again the valor of the Macedonians and the strategy of Alexander triumphed. The great Persian army breaks up and flees. Darius also follows him in a panic, leaving rich loot on the battlefield. But Alexander is not completely satisfied. As long as Darius lives, the conquest of the Persian state cannot be considered finished. That's why he continues his pursuit.
Moving forward, he conquers Babylon, Susa with the royal treasures of the Persians and finally their ancient capital, Persepolis, where the mythical palaces of Darius and the tombs of his ancestors were located. There Alexander was crowned king of Persia and then continued his pursuit of Darius. In the meantime, however, the satrap of Bactria Bessos captured Darius, with the intention of becoming king of Persia himself, and when he was pursued by Alexander and saw that Darius would fall into the hands of the Macedonians, he killed him. Later Alexander captured Byssus and handed it over to the Persians, to be punished as they wished.
The battle of Gaugamela (329 BC) marked the complete destruction of the Persian army and the death of Darius the submission of the entire Persian state to Alexander.
Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC
In India.
In order to secure his eastern borders, Alexander decided to campaign in India and make the Indus River the impassable boundary of his empire to the east. So he spent time fighting Sogdiana and Bactria, defeated and conquered the native tribes and in 327 BC. entered India. Her cities fell one after the other, until reaching the Hydaspi river he found King Porus waiting for him on the opposite bank with a numerous army, cavalry and 200 elephants. But he succeeded in passing his army across, defeated the Indians, and captured Porus, whom, because he admired for his valor, he pardoned him, and entrusted him again with the administration of his country. In this battle, Bucephalas was also killed. Alexander buried his beloved horse with honors and built a city in that place, which he named Bucephala. But his soldiers were tired and refused to continue the conquests. Then Alexander was forced to return (326 BC). In the country of the Mallos he was wounded and in danger of being killed. Then he proceeded to Patalla. Then he sent a part of the army with the fleet to Persia. He had put Admiral Nearchus in charge of them. He and the rest of the army crossed the Gedrosia desert, where he lost 3/4 of his men, and reached the capital of Pura.
In Susa.
Alexander with the remnants of his army and after many adventures arrived at Susa. There he began to think about the organization of his state. From the study of the way of life and administration of the Persians he came to the conclusion that only reconciliation with the Persian nobles could preserve the vast empire he had created. So he put his plan into action and began to act as a Greco-Persian king. He groomed the Persians, imitated their dress and lifestyle and forced others to do the same. In fact, he proceeded with even bolder actions. He himself married the daughter of Darius, and caused both his officers and soldiers to follow his example and marry Perseids. To entice them, he even promised those who followed his advice that their debts would be forgiven. Thus during the "weddings" that followed, the public treasury paid 20 thousand talents, to cover the debts of its newlywed officers and soldiers. And to strengthen this Greco-Persian approach, he also ordered 30,000 to train. Persians against the Macedonian system and join his army. These and other changes were not liked by the Macedonians, who showed rebellious moods. But Alexander discovered the conspirators and severely punished them.
